


I Saw A Ghost On The Stairs

by Actual_Dunwich_Horror



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Emotions, Forest Spirit Gabe, Josty's still a hockey player, Love Confessions, M/M, Magical Realism, but Gabe is magical, lots and lots of emotions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 03:43:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19142863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Actual_Dunwich_Horror/pseuds/Actual_Dunwich_Horror
Summary: “I know I’m here earlier in the year than I usually am, but I need to talk to you. It’s kind of serious.”Gabriel’s expression softened and he casually held up his hand. A leafy stem curled around his wrist and bloomed into a beautiful white wildflower. “Ah, Josty, you know I’m never serious. Life is meant to be lived carefree with a smile on one’s face at all times.”-Tyson Jost falls in love with a forest spirit.





	I Saw A Ghost On The Stairs

**Author's Note:**

> If you or someone you know is mentioned in this, please click away, no harm is intended by this, etc.
> 
> Hooray for part two of the Avs Fam Photo Challenge! This is a little rushed, but I knew I just HAD to do something with forest spirit Gabe as soon as I saw the photo for this one. This was not beta'd, so any mistakes are my own. Thanks to Oakley for being enthusiastic about my ideas. <3 Enjoy!

The highlight of Tyson’s summer was visiting the forest.

It was a quaint little forest, not too far from the city, and not too deep into the wilderness. If anything, it was really just a singular mountain with a bunch of trees and a lake, but when Tyson was younger, it felt absolutely ginormous.

He would go there with his family to fish, hike, and camp out under the stars. They’d make a big trip out of it, and Tyson always had a blast, even if he did get tired of his sister complaining.

Although, his absolute favorite part of their forest trips was something he told absolutely no one and kept near and dear to his heart.

Tyson can remember the first time he saw the forest spirit quite vividly. He was twelve years old at the time, a little bit of a troublemaker, and he had been running through the trees chasing after his sister when he saw what seemed to be an older teenager perched on a rock at the top of the hill. Tyson had called out to the teen, whose head perked up in response. Sprouting from his head was a small set of antlers. Looking closer, he had flowers and leaves weaved together and draped around himself. Tyson was curious, but was snapped out of his trance by the sound of his mother’s voice. He’d turned away for a moment, and when he looked back, the boy was gone.

The next year, he saw the spirit again, only this time he was perched in a pine tree. Tyson had sat underneath, saying that he wasn’t going to leave until the boy came down and talked to him.

And so they talked.

Tyson had been stunned at his sheer beauty. He seemed to live in the forest, yet his skin was clean and bright, his smile was full of light, and his blonde hair was absolutely gorgeous; shining as if it were made from the sun itself.

His name was Gabriel.

It fit, to Tyson. A beautiful name for a beautiful man. If he didn’t know any better, he would have thought that he had met the archangel Gabriel himself.

Every year, Tyson would find Gabriel in the forest, but never in the same place twice. They would sit and talk for hours at a time about nature’s beauty before Tyson would eventually go back to his family’s campground. He never wanted to leave Gabriel, though. Something about him caused Tyson’s chest to warm up, and he always felt so at peace around him, like he could just forget about all the hardships of daily life and focus on the gorgeous man in front of him as he was taught about the lake, the trees, the soil. About Earth.

It never took long for Tyson to figure out that Gabriel was magical. He radiated some sort of golden light that could only be seen in the shade of the mountain, and the antlers were a bit of a dead giveaway. This was all alongside the fact that Gabriel would speak with nature as he strolled along- murmuring to the moss and plants and causing flowers to bloom, whispering to the streams and prompting fish to jump, cooing at the wildlife and having them respond back. It was all so beautiful and fascinating. To Tyson, it would never get old. Gabriel was so incredible.

The older Tyson grew, the more longing he felt for Gabriel and the forest. He knew that soon enough it would become more difficult for him to visit each summer. His career was just beginning to take off, after all.

It didn’t help that Gabriel’s power grew with each passing year, and Tyson found himself becoming more and more… attracted. Gabriel began to show off his bare skin more, claiming that it was more natural. The golden glow that surrounded him grew more intense, and he began to look like a fallen star. His antlers became huge and majestic, and he grew a rather charming beard. Tyson wasn’t afraid to admit that Gabriel was by far the most gorgeous person he’d seen in his entire life.

But, he knew that he would never get to stay with Gabriel, or have Gabriel come stay with him. The forest needed Gabriel’s light- without it, the entire mountainside would be dark, cold, and lifeless. A selfish part of Tyson didn’t care. It hurt being away from Gabriel.

Even so, Tyson couldn’t ever choose anyone different. No one would be as beautiful as Gabriel. No one would have that same light. The entire situation sat in his chest like a cinder block.

Until the summer of 2019, when Tyson was finally twenty one years old. He could have gone off and partied like the other 98% of his teammates, but no. He had to see Gabriel.

He brought along his silver medal from Worlds, keeping it tucked away in his jacket pocket. Gabriel always did like shiny things. His glowing blue eyes would grow wide, and he’d practically become hypnotized whenever they would walk around and find something metallic in the forest. He was like a giant cat, and it was honestly adorable.

But,he also brought it because Gabriel cared deeply about Tyson’s achievements. Despite never leaving the forest, he had a great understanding of the rest of the world, and knew just how big of a deal Tyson was. He always told Tyson that he was honored to know someone with such fame and passion. Tyson’s face would always grow warm and he would shake his head, claiming that he wasn’t as famous as Gabriel thought he was.

But that was just the thing, wasn’t it? Gabriel truly cared, more than anyone outside of Tyson’s family. He could easily choose to hide from Tyson, to completely vanish like he always did in the presence of other humans. But he never did. He loved Tyson and his company, and after all, Tyson was the first human who actually went out of their way to try and speak to him.

Could Gabriel ever love a human, though? Tyson knew that Gabriel’s first and true love was nature, but would he ever feel attraction for someone who was so… inferior? So minuscule in comparison to the mountains and meadows?

These thoughts ran through Tyson’s mind as he approached the forest. It felt so unusual going there alone, the silence weighing heavy on his shoulders during the drive there. He made sure to turn on some soft music so that he wasn’t entirely alone with his thoughts.

Once he actually arrived, Tyson had no clue where to go. He could go to the trail head and hike up the mountain. He could visit the river. He could park at the campsite and wander throughout the trees.

Though, a tugging feeling in his chest told him that the lake would be the best option if he wanted to see Gabriel.

So, he parked on the side of the road, and made the trek down to the secluded little lake.

Typically, the forest was beautiful during this time of year. The trees were vibrant and green, the sun would shine overhead and glisten on the lake, and the mountain made for a beautiful backdrop to it all. But no, it was as if nature could detect Tyson’s uncertainty, and reflected those feelings right back at him. The lake was completely still. The trees looked dark and dreary. The mountain was shrouded in fog. It felt painful being there when everything was so gray and sad, but Tyson knew that he had to go. He had to talk to Gabriel.

He walked down to the dock, treading carefully on the creaky wood, and leaned against the railing once he reached the end. Tyson sat there for a minute or two, waiting for something, anything to happen, before he shook his head and sighed. He should have known that Gabriel wouldn’t appear out of nowhere. Every year, Tyson had found him unexpectedly. He never could really  _ look  _ for Gabriel. That’s not how things worked with the forest spirit.

Tyson straightened himself and turned to leave, but was immediately stopped by a familiar golden light directly next to him. Gabriel’s light.

Tyson gasped in surprise, his eyes widening, and he had to catch himself on the railing to keep steady. Gabriel leaned against the old wood of the dock nonchalantly, a warm smile on his face, as if nothing had happened. After a moment, Tyson began to regain his senses, and he smiled at Gabriel, his eyes beginning to tear up.

“Gabe… I’m so happy to see you,” he said, his voice shaky.

Gabriel’s smile broke into a grin, and Tyson felt butterflies rise in his stomach at the sight. “I’m happy to see you too. There’s too much time between our visits. How’s my favorite hockey superstar been?”

“Oh, you know, I’ve been alright,” Tyson laughed. It took everything in him to restrain himself from spilling all of his feelings at once. The last thing he wanted was to scare Gabriel away. “I know I’m here earlier in the year than I usually am, but I need to talk to you. It’s kind of serious.”

Gabriel’s expression softened and he casually held up his hand. A leafy stem curled around his wrist and bloomed into a beautiful white wildflower. “Ah, Josty, you know I’m never serious. Life is meant to be lived carefree with a smile on one’s face at all times.”

Tyson couldn’t help but smile at Gabriel’s little saying. Everything Gabriel said was incredibly wise, and hopelessly charming.

“Although,” Gabriel continued, “You know I’ll always listen to you and anything you have to say. You’re a living being, and your thoughts must roam free.”

Tyson took a breath, trying to calm himself before he began talking.

“I’ve visited this forest every summer for almost my whole life. The best memories I have of this place are all about whenever I’ve spent time with you. You’re so unique and you actually care… not just about me, but about life and… I don’t know. You’re just so compassionate.” Tyson felt himself begin to lose his train of thought, so he paused and let Gabriel respond.

“Ah, but everyone is unique. And, you know I do my best to make all living and nonliving children of Earth to feel welcome.” Gabriel said, an understanding smile on his face.

“Exactly. And… I feel like you’ve taught me so much. I feel like I can be a better person because of you, but I just… I’ve started to hurt.” Tyson looked away and gripped the railing of the dock. He knew that Gabriel wouldn’t understand exactly what he meant, so he pushed forward.

“Physically, I’m okay, but inside of me… I can’t stand being away from you. You’re so gorgeous and you make me feel so happy and whole, and just… It hurts to be away.” A few tears began to roll down his face. He didn’t dare look at Gabriel, even though he knew for a fact that he would be smiling. The thought of Gabriel smiling at him pitifully was the absolute worst.

Suddenly, Tyson felt something against his arm, and his whole body felt like he had stuck his finger in a light socket. The feeling was electric, and when he looked over, he realized that Gabriel had placed a hand on his arm. In all these years, this had been the first time that Gabriel had actually touched him. He froze out of instinct, but Gabriel didn’t shy away.

“I understand your feelings, Tyson. I can sense that you aren’t lying or exaggerating either. And,” Gabriel moved his hand to brush a strand of hair out of Tyson’s face and then cupped his jaw. “I feel similar. You’re such an amazing man. No other human in the entire world could ever make me as happy as you do. I cherish each and every one of our encounters.”

Tyson couldn’t help but move closer to Gabriel, drawn by his touch. At first, it felt like too much, like lightning was running through his veins, but then he began to welcome the feeling. It grew into a deep, pleasant thrum, almost as if his heartbeat was in sync with the Earth’s. With Gabriel’s. It was exhilarating.

And the fact that Gabriel felt the same… It felt so unreal to Tyson. He was so excited, so happy, it felt like he was being drafted all over again. He wanted to throw himself at Gabriel and cry, but at the same time he felt as if he could pass out at any given moment.

Gabriel must have sensed this. He let out a hearty laugh and took Tyson’s hand into his own, trying to bring him back to his senses.

“What exactly would you like to do with these feelings, Josty? You know I’m not able to leave the forest, but I am curious as to what you had in mind,” Gabriel said, his voice soft.

Tyson looked away again, his shoulders drooping. The answer to that question was a difficult one.

“I… I don’t know. I can’t stand being away from you for so long. I just wish there was a way I could see you more. And I want… I want you to be…” Tyson began to choke up, and it grew hard for him to say what he truly felt.

“I understand. I do wish the same, and… there is a way. For us to see each other more.” Gabriel said, voice barely above a whisper. 

Behind Gabriel, Tyson noticed that the fog around the mountain had began to disperse.

“It requires that we both sacrifice something small, yet meaningful to us. Can you do that?” Gabriel asked.

“I can,” Tyson replied, “I would give up just about anything to see you more.”

Gabriel beamed at Tyson and lifted up his right hand, slipping a golden ring off his finger and holding it out to Tyson. Upon taking the ring, Tyson realized that tiny leaves were engraved into it. It looked so intricately decorated. Tyson couldn’t help but stare at it, confused as to why Gabriel would give it up so willingly.

“I may be a child of the Earth, but I was always extremely close to my blood family. Not a lot of beings like me can say the same. That ring was crafted by my mother and given to me as a gift. Each of my siblings have similar rings. I haven’t seen any of them in a long time, and… you’ve been here for me in their absence.”

Tyson felt a few more tears slip out of his eyes. He couldn’t help but feel bad not knowing how lonely Gabriel was, how  Tyson had been acting in place of his family. He would have visited more often, had he known.

“This is… this is so much, Gabe. Thank you for trusting me with this, I-I’m speechless.” Tyson stuttered out as he slipped the ring on his finger. He racked his brain for something he could give in return, when he suddenly remembered the medal in his pocket. He fumbled to get it out, then shyly presented it to Gabriel.

“I know it’s not gold, but… I won this medal while representing my home country. It was a hard fought game, and Finland deserved the gold, but… I’d like to think that silver can be just as rewarding."

Gabriel delicately took the medal from Tyson, eyes growing wide as he turned it in his hands, running his fingers along the ribbon. Tyson anxiously waited for Gabriel to say something, and for a moment he was afraid that he had insulted him somehow.

“Thank you, Tyson. You know that I’ll always be proud of you, no matter the rank of your achievements.” He cradled the medal to his heart with a fond smile. “I’ll cherish this until the end of my days. It’s a perfect way to show that my heart belongs to a champion.”

Tyson offered Gabriel a sheepish half smile. “So, what now?”

“As long as you wear that ring, and as long as I carry this medal, I will be able to find you. I am bound to that ring, and the medal is connected to you. If there’s ever a time where I can sense that you need me, I’ll be there. You can trust me on that.”

Tyson gazed into Gabriel’s glowing blue eyes, unable to suppress the warmth that was pooling in his chest. Everything felt so unreal, and he was elated to finally be able to see Gabriel more.

“I trust you, Gabe. I trust you,” Tyson said with a grin.

“I know you do, Tyson. And for that, I am grateful.”

Gabriel took Tyson’s hand again and closed the distance between them, kissing Tyson ever so gently. Gabriel’s energy burned throughout Tyson from head to toe, but it was the furthest thing from a problem. Tyson would never shy away from Gabriel or his power, for now he knew now that Gabriel would always do what he could to protect him.

**Author's Note:**

> This is... an au that I may further explore one day. We'll have to see. For now, thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are much appreciated. Find me on tumblr @holtbys-beard, and recently I've created a twitter! Find me there @Elite_Grubi!


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